This fine painting "Aux trois quartiers" by the French master Edouard Cortes (1882-1969) is a newly acquired highlight of our gallery collection. The painting depicts the Boulevard de la Madeleine in Paris; with the Place de la Madeleine on the right and a glimpse of the department store Trois Quartiers on the left.

About this location in Paris, David Klein writes: ...towards the end of the nineteeth century, several large buildings in Paris were emptied and transformed into department stores. Parisians were in awe of the new grands magasins de nouveautes. Some of these large stores were conservative while others were more luxurious fitted with grand staircases, offering find dining at restaurants, tea rooms, and offering a shopping experience with fantastic displays and a wide selection of goods. As time went by, these grands magasins competed with each other in elegance of design. Also part of this composition is The Madeleine a monumental building situated in Paris' financial district that was designed in its present form as a temple to the glory of Napoleon's army. Twenty-eight steps lead to fifty-two immense Corinthian columns. The site of the Madeleine was at times intended to become a bank, a parliament building, a railway station, and the Paris stock exchange. Today the edifice is a parish of the Archdiocese of Paris.

Acquired from a small private collection in the United States, the painting is framed with its original hand-carved, wooden frame, which has been gilt with 24 karat gold leaf. Visit Odon Wagner Gallery Toronto to view the painting, or to inquire about a purchase please contact Odon Wagner at Tel: (416) 962-0438